Just remember that FUTABA isn't just an Hobby-RC company. Hobby-RC is a small part of their business, and what I mean by saying it is that they may not have all eyes of the company turned to this specific market.

Even the German company Simprop offers after market FASST receivers. The German way.

Btw, Sanwa from Japan which makes the Airtronics radios employs 6000 people around the world and RC radios are only a minor part of the products they do. Actually, the way Futaba is going now is quite similar to Sanwa. One 2.4GHz protocol for the upper market and one for the beginner's market.

Futaba have had2 versions of FASST for a long time - 7 channel and Multi. The 7 channel is being replaced by FHSS as it is cheaper and the Multi will morph to FASSTest. Looks like 8 channels is the change over point. As the 8FG is now 14 channels it might be moved up market with telemetry.

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Even the German company Simprop offers after market FASST receivers. The German way.

Btw, Sanwa from Japan which makes the Airtronics radios employs 6000 people around the world and RC radios are only a minor part of the products they do. Actually, the way Futaba is going now is quite similar to Sanwa. One 2.4GHz protocol for the upper market and one for the beginner's market.

Are these RX designed and made in germany? If so, it must be very expensive!
The price will exceed genuine price of Futaba. Perhaps it's a china made re-labeled.

BTW, At least in Japan, A FASST clone RX have a patent issue. Futaba have Patent about binding FASST Tx to Rx. Because, any RX can bind to Futaba FASST Tx, violates patent. I did not search foreign patents, so I dont know about oversee. But Futaba is doing business all over the world, so I guess Futaba may hold it world-wide too.

The patent strategy might be always roughly the same - Wait it grows fat enough, kill it and cook it and eat it.

Nowhere in the thread do I find anyone who can explain the difference between the two RF systems other than price.

Has anyone done any testing with FHSS to see how good or bad it is?

Are the FHSS receivers short range?

Futaba is now selling FASST and FHSS modules. I got a FASST module for my 9C Super and have purchased 3 Futaba and one Orange.

From what I am reading here we are expecting a new FASSTEST protocol. Do we presume this will not work with FASST receivers, that there will be no backward compatibiltiy?

I left Spektrum because I thought Futaba FASST had proven more reliable for my high end sailplanes.

The 7 channel FASST receiver is about the same price as the 7 channel Spektrum receiver, so the big gap has evaporated. And the Futaba receivers should prove easier to install.

There are FASST compatibles so I can get lower cost receivers if I wish, for my lower end planes. But I will stay with Futaba branded for the high end stuff. That satisfied my need for low end, cheap receivers.

Now I am not so sure I made a smart move.

Now I see I have walked into a real rats nest.

And what is this high MU thing I saw earlier in the thread and why should I care?

Ed, The FASStest protocol is the bi-direction version of FASST for telemetry. At this time only the 18MZ has this protocol option, but it also supports all existing FASST receivers (7ch & MULTI MODE) and the S-FHSS protocol used by the T6J & T8J. AFAIK, all the upper end Futaba radios will get updates at some point in time.
For the entry level pilot buying a 6EX as an example, the higher prices of the Futaba receivers has been a bit of a turnoff. The S-FHSS receivers for the T6J on the other hand turn the tables a bit on Spektrum, since they are less money than genuine Spektrum receivers of the same category. Needless to say, "orange" Futaba FHSS clones will not be too far down the road also.
Your 9C with the FASST module will give solid performance for a long time to come, in fact, if you were a heli pilot, you could use the the little R6203SB (links to either 7CH or MULI MODE protocol Tx) receiver with one of the 3 axis gyros from Futaba, Ace or Mikado using the S.bus output for only one cable between the receiver and gyro/governor.
Best of luck with the FASST module. Mine has been as solid as a rock.
Pete